Apparatus for abstract painting



Aug. 6, 1963 H. HENRIKSEN APPARATUS FOR ABSTRACT PAINTING Filed Feb. l0, 1960 MMM/@M 3,ltlli,ll63 APPARATUS FOR ABSTRACT PAENTING Henry Henriksen, 3136 Pillsbury Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn. Filed Feb. 1t), 1960, Ser. No. 7,893 2 Claims. (Cl. 222--94-1) This invention relates to novel apparatus for producing unusual and appealing abstract paintings and to achieve effects not previously possible rby former apparatus for accomplishing abstract painting.

In recent years abstract painting has enjoyed a progressively increasing Vpopularity and more and more people have become interested therein. Not only has abstract painting itself enjoyed a tremendous growth in popularity as a particular `for-m of art, but it has also been true that increasingly large numbers of non-professional painters have taken up painting in general as an avocation or hobby to be enjoyed in their leisure hours and have become particularly interested in abstract painting because of the fact that abstract painting does not require the degree of skill and proficiency normally required for conventional forms of objective painting and the average person is therefore capable of effecting an unusual and attractive abstract painting who might not otherwise be able to paint an acceptable objective painting.

However, to date many people who might otherwise be interested in indulging in abstract painting as a hobby or means of relaxation have avoided doing so because of the necessary investment in conventional types of painting equipment such as canvas, easels, brushes, .paints and the like which usually constitutes a considerable outlay of money even for the novice painter initially engaging in this type of activity and also because of the fact that the conventional type of paiting normally requires that a separate portion of the home be converted into a studio where the painting equipment may be permanently kept Without having to pick up and store the equipment after each use thereof. These two features alone have 4deterred many people from taking up painting as a casual hobby -because of the difficulties and expense involved.

Insofar as the actual manner of performing the abstract painting is concerned, the abstract paintings to date have been accomplished with the conventional equipment employed for objective painting and the usual conventional paint has been yapplied with a brush in the usual conventional manner to the canvas to accomplish the results desired, the only difference -being in the composite effect, the result being either an objective or an abstract painting.

Therefore, an important' object of my invention is a novel apparatus for painting an labstract picture in a'new and unusual manner to produce an eiect heretofore un# obtainable by conventional painting methods and apparatus.

Still another object is lnovel apparatus for effecting abstract paintings which enable even the most inexperienced persons to produce beautiful abstract paintings with a minimum of expense and time involved.

Still another object is novel methods and apparatus for painting abstract pictures which enables the painter to quickly paint and complete the painting of an abstract picture in a relatively short space of time so that the individual paintings 'may be accomplished during a single session thereby permitting the equipment to be put away an-d stored until the next time, thereby eliminating the need for a special studio.

Still another object is novel apparatus or equipment for accomplishing abstract painting which is simple in design and inexpensive in construction and which may be packaged in a small compact kit ywhich may be readily transported, handled and stored.

3,l,llb3 Patented Aug. 6, 1963 'icc Still another object is novel methods of abstract painting and apparatus therefor which substantially eliminates the usual untidiness and mess normally .associated with painting pictures.

Still another object is apparatus for applying the paint in a novel manner to produce novel and unusual abstract paintings which present or produce an effect heretofore unobtainable and incapable of accomplishment by con-r ventional methods and equipment.

Still another object is la novel type or kind of paint to be employed with the methods and apparatus of my invention to produce the novel results desired.

Still another object is novel lapparatus and equipment for carrying out the method of abstract painting of my invention which may be packaged in a compact kit which is relatively inexpensive and which is within the reach of the pocketbook and capabilities of even the most inexperienced of painters.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully `appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic perspective `view of my invention illustrating one ymethod of applying the paint and the apparatus therefor to a suitable surface t0 produce an abstract painting;

FG. 2 is a side View in section of the' view shown in FIG. l taken on the line 2 2 thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a novel paint applicator or dispenser of my invention;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view in partial section of the disL penser shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

'Ilhe novel method of accomplishing the unusual abstract paintings of my Iinvention consists in directing a plurality of streams of suitable paint 10 either simultaneously or serially from an applicator or dispenser D onto yany suitable flat surface or backing 1K1 which may consist of cardboard, compoboard, canvas, wood or the like, the individual streams or the plurality of streams of paint appliedy simultaneously being moved .in irregular pattern above the surface to be painted in a predetermined or haphazard lfashion as desired until the surface has been completely covered rwith paint and a likely design has been fashioned. The paint to be employed is preferably sufliciently viscous so that it will form an irregular mass of uneven, non-uniform thickness and contour on the surface being painted so that the nish is quite irregular and rough in nature Vand has 'a topography consisting of a myriad of irregularly shaped valleys 12 and raised portions 13 to produce the effect desired. If the paint is too' uid in nature it will tend to flow and spread itself evenly over the surface and the resultant effect is not 'as attractive as when the paint -sets in irregular fashion to` form the rough contour desired. A paint havinga consistency or viscosity resembling that of 1a viscous glue has been found to be ve-ry satisfactory; The different colored paints to be employed for any given painting mayl be applied individually to the surface, and a most unique yand novel effect is achieved'when multiple streams of different colors of paints are directed against the surface simultaneously so that the different colors may naturally and non-uniformly blend or merge with one another eithertotally or partially over varying portions of the surface, thev natural blending or merging causing not only veryunique and unusual patterns and designs due to the c'ontrast in color therebetween but also a portion of the paints blend and mix with one another to develop shades, tints,

3 and varying hues from the basic colors originally directed against and applied to the surface painted.

`Once the surface has been entirely covered with the paint, it may be permitted to set and dry in the design and pattern naturally resulting from the original application of paint to the surf-ace to be painted, or the paint which has been applied may be worked further lby any suitable instrument such as a wooden stick to produce further unusual eects and designs in lthe painting by moving the end of the instrument through the paint in any desired path of movement such, for example, as by simply swirling -the end of 4the stick lthrough the paint -to produce Ia swirling or cyclonic eifect in the painting.

To apply the paint in the desired fashion, any suitable dispenser may be employed which is capable of being readily grasped in the hand H of the painter and operated to dispense from the dispenser and direct against the sur- Iface to be painted 1a stream of -the paint to be applied. A convenient 'and very satisfactory dispenser may consist of a squeezable type tube 14 made of suitable llexible resilient material such as plastic, the` tube or container having a spigot or nozzle and a removable cap 16 `therefor' on one end thereof for ejecting lche paint from .the container upon the application of a squeezing pressure against the main body portion of lthe container or 'tube 1-4 to lforce -the pain-t out of the dispenser through the nozzle or spigot 15 in a steady stream 10 against the surface to be painted. The tubes may be employed individually to apply a single color at a time to -the surface to be painted, a succession `of various colors being applied lthereto until the surface 'has been completely covered and `an artistic design accomplished.

I have discovered that -a truely unique and unusual effect .is accomplished by employing a dispenser which is capable of directing a plurality of streams of paint of different colors against the surface simultaneously in an irregular pattern, the simultaneous application of the multi-colors of paints producing -an eect not capable of reproduction by other methods such as when the paints are applied in individual streams or when the conventional paint brush is employed. In any event, the method of applying the paint .in a stream against the surface to be painted either simultaneously or successively produces la truely unique effect previously incapable of accomplishment by conventional painting methods such as the usual brush method.

To -accomplish this multiple dispensing of a plurality of streams of diiferent colors of paints simultaneously, I have devised the novel paint dispenser D disclosed in the accompanying drawings. In the form shown, the dispenser D consists of a exible resilient cylindrical casing or sleeve y17 which is preferably of a size which may be conveniently grasped and squeezed in ythe hand of the painter. A plurality of Aindividual squeezable containers 14 containing different colors `of paint are grouped together in side-by-side relationship Within the casing with the spigots or nozzles thereof extending through the top opening or end of the casing 17 to form a composite dispenser having a plurality or battery of capped spigots or nozzles 1S all facing in the same direction. The upper marginal edge `of the casing may be provided with an inwardly turned ange or lip 18 which is adapted to engage the shoulders `19 of the individual containers or tubes `14 housed .therewithin and prevent their forward removal therefrom. A suitable removable casing cap or cover 20 may be provided to enclose the lower or other end of the casing to secure the tubes therewithin. The individual tubes or dispensers within the casing may be filled with any colored paint desired, such as some of the primary colors red, yellow, blue, white and black and the like. 'Ihe tubes 14 Within the casing are preferably arranged with relationship to one another ,and lto the casing 17 in such fashion that the application of a squeezing pressure against the outer wall of the casing 17 as by means of the fingers or hand will cause this pressure to be applied to each of the tubes within the casing and cause a stream of paint to be ejected from each of the uncapped tubes simultaneously. Thus, by grasping the casing in the yhand and applying -a firm squeezing pressure to the casing, a multiple stream of paint of varying colors is caused to be ejected from the dispenser unit and directed against the surface lto be painted, assuming of course that two or more spigots have been uncapped or opened. All of the colors housed in the dispenser D may be applied at once, or any combination thereof may be applied as desired.

In the preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, the center spigot or nozzle l5 of the multicolor dispenser is preferably longer than the others and extends outwardly beyond them to enable the dispenser to function as a paint pen or pencil if individual liines of paint of definite predetermined objective pattern or outline are to be effected, all of the nozzles normally being closed except the center one.

yAs best seen in FIG. l, the paint dispenser unit such as the dispenser D shown in the drawings is held above the surface 11 to be painted and as lit is squeezed and the streams of paint 10 are ejected therefrom, the dispenser is moved back and forth over the surface and above it in any regular or irregular path of movement so that the individual streams of paint dispensed therefrom are applied to the surface to be painted in an irregular abstract pattern, thereby causing lthe paints to interrniX and merge with one another and cross and blend with one another to produce a striking effect. To aid in producing the unusual strilring eifects desired and to vary the effect of the pattern and the irregular contours of the paint on the surface to be painted, the dispenser may not only be moved in an irregular path back and forth over the surface to be painted, but the distance or height above the surface may be varied rto vary the width or thickness of the stream of paint that is applied to the surface by moving the dispenser towards and away from said surface. Thus, by holding the dispenser very close to the surface the stream which is applied is much smaller in width than when the dispenser is moved further away. As previously noted, once the paint has been applied it may be permitted to dry in the manner in which it was applied or further Work may be done to the paint by means of a suitable instrument such as a simple stick of wood which may be moved in a predetermined or haphazard fashion through the paint which has already been applied to further mix and merge the paints and produce still further usual designs and patterns.

Although the dispenser unit D shown consists of a casing housing a plurality of removable and disposable tubes of paint, it Will be understood that the dispenser may be made lin a variety of equivalent fashions and these various modes of assembly are deemed to be Within the scope of this invention. Thus, for example, the tubes housing the individual colors of paint may be permanently mounted in the casing and may be simply refilled, when empty, :from a suitable source of supply of color which has been exhausted, or they may be removably mounted within the casing and replaced by another tube when empty.

To aid in achieving the unusual and striking designs and patterns and overall effect of the abstract paintings produced by the methods and apparatus of my invention, I have developed a novel paint which is particularly suitable for this type of application and is not only relatively quick drying, but, what is more important, it is sufiiciently fluid to permit it to be squeezed from a tube and projected onto the painting surface, and at the same time has a consistency which is suiiciently viscous to limit the natural free owability thereof once it is applied and enable the paint to form the irregular topography desired and hereinbefore described.

'Ihe paint of my invention is composed of 90% to 95% liquid or fluid polyvinyl `acetate emulsion type binder which has'mixed therewith 5% to v10% non-oily color providing pigments such as dry casein type water pigments, either opaque ory transparent, but preferably opaque. The emulsiiied polyvinyl acetate base or binder not only provides a relatively quick drying paint having long life by comparison with many conventional paints, but also is suiii'ciently viscous (resembling glue in viscosity) to provide the irregular paint masses and contours on the painted surface, provides better adhering qualities with respect to the surface to which it is applied, and prevents Jthe diierent colors from bleeding or veining into one another. Oil base paints may be mixed with the polyvinyl acetate binder, but the resultant effect is considerably different from that resulting from the use of the aforementioned casein water color type pigments on paints, and in many instances does not produce as desirable a painting. A paint composed in this manner has suicient body to it and is sufficiently viscous to enable an irregular mass of it to build up upon the surface to be painted and at the same time is suliiciently fluid to permit at least a portion thereof to merge and blend with the other colors of paint which are applied in adjoining relation thereto. This type of paint also has the added feature that the paint drys with a semi-gloss or glaze therefrom and gives a somewhat glassy effect to the surface of the painting, the combination of the rough surface, irregular grouping of dilerent colors, and somewhat glassy finish giving a composite effect of a mosaic tile.

In addition, this type of paint has the important feature that the colors do not tend to bleed or vein into one another as is the case with many other kinds of paint as hereinbefore noted.

If desired, a somewhat more deliberate or objective design may be applied to the irregular abstract design initially achieved by the multiple streams of different colored paints by employing a single tube of any given color of paint or one ofthe individual spigots of the multiple dispenser shown, preferably the elongated center spigot and directing a stream therefrom onto the surface already painted to form a deliberate pattern of objective design on top of the abstract design initially achieved. Thus, for example, the multiple dispenser may be employed to achieve an abstract color pattern somewhat resembling a blending of colors sometimes found in stained glass windows and a more objective pattern may be applied to this surface by a simple applicator to outline, for example, the outline and partitions of a window so that the composite elfect is that of a stained glass window, the resultant effect or painting possibly being termed a semi-abstract or objective abstract painting.

Once the design has been completed, the linishing touch may be given by spraying the painted surface with a protective transparent coating of plastic glaze such as Krylon, which not only protects the paint from dust, wear and the like, but also provides a glaze on the surface so that the irregular contours assume the appearance of a mosaic.

From the foregoing the advantages of my invention are readily apparent. The method of applying the paint in a series of individual streams or a plurality of simultaneous streams to the surface to be painted produces an unusual and striking eiect heretofore unobtainable. The novel multiple spigot dispenser makes this unusual eliect produced by the simultaneous application tof multiple streams of varicolored paint possible and the novel paint in combination with the mode of application and novel dispenser for applying same produces lan abstract painting of Very attractive appearance and great esthetic appeal. Thus, the method of my invention embodies a unique combination of ya nove-l manner of paint application with a paint specially developed for the purpose, together with a distinctively new paint dispenser to produce the beautiful abstract paintings hereinbefore described.

Another advantage associated with my invention is the simplicity and inexpensiveness of the equipment yand materia'ls needed to make 'an abstract'painting. The surface to be painted need not be expensive canvas (although it may be), but may be of any suitable rigid or semi-rigid construction such as inexpensive cardboard, compoboard, wood and the like. The surface to be painted may be rested on any suitable flat supporting surface such as a table or the like and does not require the use yof an easel yor the use of expensive canvas ialthough it will be understood that more expensive canvas may be used if desired. The paint containers and dispensers may be made from any of the Well known inexpensive plastics now available on the market .and the paints and the sticks and so `forth may be packaged in a small compact box which may be readily stored, handled and transported in a minimum of space. Thus, lanyone inexperienced in the art of painting abstract paintings may easily turn out unusual and `attract-ive abstract paintings in a short space Iof time by simply laying out a suitable backing or supporting surface on a table, loading the dispenser with the colors of paint desired and simply squeezing the container and directing the streams of paint against the surface in any manner desired to make the abstract painting. There is no mess yor untid-iness associated with the painting and when the paint has been applied the dispenser may be simply returned to its normal place of `storage and the painting is done with no fuss and no mus-s. Thus, abstract painting is made available and attractive to those perso-ns who are unskilled in the art of painting and those who do not have the time to spend long hours in painting beore an easel with oil and who do not have the space or means to provide a studio for all of the paraphernalia normally required for oil painting.

Thus, my invention brings abstract painting Within the reach of anyone who at all interested in such a passtime. It should also be understood that the paintings accomplished by the methods and apparatus of my invention are not of inferior quality but rather rank as tine specimens of artistic achievement and the method and equipment may be employed by professional artists as well as the novice who indulges in it only as a pastime and a hobby. Although the methods and apparatus hereinbefore described have been developed for use primarily in abstract-type painting, it will be understood that the same paint and dispensers and nrethods of application may be employed in objective drawings having simply organized scenes, figures and `lines thereon and answering to the title of objective painting, and will produce startling new and alive eiects in even such conventional objectivetype paintings.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A paint applicator comprising a plurality of compressible nozzled paint tubes grouped together in side-byside relationship whereby the entire groupy can be conveniently grasped in the hand of the user for simultaneous squeezing of all of said tubes, means for holding said tubes together in said grouped relationship, the nozzles of each of said tubes extending in the same direction, removable caps or the nozzles of each of said tubes, one of said nozzles extending beyond the rest of said nozzles to enable said applicator to function as Ia paint pen.

2. A paint applicator comprising a compressible cylindrical casing, a plurality lof tubular nozzled paint containers grouped together Within said casing in side-by-side relationship whereby squeezing of said casing causes simultaneous squeezing of all of said tubular containers, said tubular containers being individually insertab-le in and removable from said casing, all of the nozzles o-f said containers extending in the same direction with one of said nozzles extending beyond the rest of said nozzles, removlable caps for each of said nozzles, one 4end fof said casing having an inwardly and circumierentially extending flange for engaging `the nozzled ends yof said tubes, and cover means detachably mountable :on the yother end of said casing for holding said containers in said casing.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 758,501 Von Beust Apr. 26, 1904 951,101 Clarke Mar. 8 1910 1,363,064 Stegath Dec. 21, 1920 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany May 22, 1959 

1. A PAINT APPLICATOR COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF COMPRESSIBLE NOZZLED PAINT TUBES GROUPED TOGETHER IN SIDE-BYSIDE RELATIONSHIP WHEREBY THE ENTIRE GROUP CAN BE CONVENIENTLY GRASPED IN THE HAND OF THE USER FOR SIMULTANEOUS SQUEEZING OF ALL OF SAID TUBES, MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID TUBES TOGETHER IN SAID GROUPED RELATIONSHIP, THE NOZZLES OF EACH OF SAID TUBES EXTENDING IN THE SAME DIRECTION, REMOVABLE CAPS FOR THE NOZZLES OF EACH OF SAID TUBES, ONE OF SAID NOZZLES EXTENDING BEYOND THE REST OF SAID NOZZLES TO ENABLE SAID APPLICATOR TO FUNCTION AS A PAINT PEN. 